KARM &
AKARM
It is commonly
thought by us that doing good deeds will help balance our bad deeds, and that
atoning for sins can cancel the effect of bad deeds; in this article, I deal
with the concept of Karm as is understood by me basis my reading and
experiences – references in the Bibliography; and put forth a view basis the
scriptures as I understand them. I am
still a student of our scriptures, not an expert by any means – this needs to
be clarified at the start of the article itself.
KARM
There are two
concepts, Karm and Akarm. Karm is action, all action we do –whether physical or
mental. Each Karm has an effect, a defined counter-reaction; good Karm leads to
good tidings in the future, and bad Karm leads to bad tidings. Per my
understanding, All Karm creates a reaction. And Good Karm do not cancel our Bad
Karm. Every Karm creates an assured reaction; which Jeevatma has to undergo. For
rising above it needs reaching Akarm - which will ensure so further reactions
are created; but the Sanchit + Prarabdh has to be undergone. {Prarabdh is the
Karmphal of & for this life; Sanchit is the sum total of the Karmphal
generated throughout time by the Jeevatma}
THE WAY OUT
The way out is to
be pure, absolutely pure, and free from Saatvik, Rajasik AND Tamasik karm, all.
Even Saatvik creates a reaction... All Karm creates destiny; No Karm is either
good or bad. ALL Karm is tainted in some way or the other. This is the Basic
law of Karm. This {being pure} does not mean taking Sanyaas and retiring, doing nothing. Even that action – the action
of retiring, of abandoning duties towards family, self, society is a new karm
created. It means creating Karm in such a way that no new destiny is created,
no new karmic reaction is generated.
All Karm creates a
corresponding reaction; regardless of the actual deed. Even Saatvik Karm is not desirable, as it creates bonding for
the fruits arising therefrom - the expectation of reward, the intent of doing
good, the intent of “”I have done it”, the love for the deed, the attachment
towards doing good. Thus, even the act of doing pure saatvik karm creates a new
Karmic reaction, the ripples of which
create a bonding with the material world, stopping the ascent of the Jeevatma
to the abode it truly belongs to – the Abode of The Parmatma, The Parabrahm –
whatever name you call him by.
There is also a
material reason for why Good deeds create bonding and a reaction – doing good
again and again, in any form, automatically creates a sense of doership, a
feeling of pride; it also feeds the ego, and over time might lead to arrogance
in the person. From there stems a series of non-saatvik Karm, leading to the
collapse from saatvik state. Thus, in this form, Karm creates a series of
karmic reaction; the good the person does will certainly generate shubh-phal;
but the arrogance etc it creates will also generate equivalent karmic
reactions.
Thus, we need to
free ourselves from : Desire, Anger, Greed, Ahankar / Ego, Jealousy, Pettiness,
Love, Passion, Ambition, Lying, Back-Biting : and all other such material ‘vikaar’ from our
internal constitution, cleanse our mind and try to reach a state of pure
conscious clean chitta. These vikaars create bonding, create a corresponding Karmic
Reaction that is assured, and prolong the cycle, prohibiting the freedom of the
Jeevatma from the bondages of the Body.
DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN KARM & AKARM
The difference
between Karm and Akarm is the latter is done with the mind-chitta situated in
God; in the Parmatma; free from all the above impurities. Even Love is an
impurity; and is undesirable, as is passion for excellence, achievement, weal. Most
of all - quit Kaam [which is broader than Lust - this word means material
desires}, Pride - Desire. Kaam-Lobh-Moh have to be left
When every action
you do stems from the realisation that it is your duty entrusted by God to you;
then there is no question of attachment, or a Karmic reaction. When there is no
love involved- even for your child
husband wife - then no question of influence; when anger - jealosy -
moh/lobh/greed etc are absent - then each task you do will stem from your
capability, the actual task-demand, untainted by your personal interests, when
there is no Ego, or Pride or Ahankar, there is no attachment,, or anger or
jealousy. This will be regardless of damage to loved ones; or self. Each task
will be done as it should be done. This is Akarm, or a close approximation
Even passion for
excellence is not desirable - It creates an attachment, and a vested interest
in the result. The task performance should be a function of your own God-given
capacities, the situation at hand - and God; and no connection with the end
result. When that happens, automatically the performance will be at the best
you can do, for this also demands no procrastination, or aalas of any kind as a
prerequiresite
Akarma means I am
doing my job but I have lord in my mind during my work; I am free of all
impurities. Akarm is not a "Karm" as it does not count in the cycle.
And - If you have the lord in your mind, then you will never be able to do a
Bad Karm, Because the Lord will not be in your mind unless you have the above
qualities listed... at that state, I think it is not possible, just not
possible, to do anything bad to others {Reason is that one of the key
requirements is truth; complete truth... and another is that while speaking
truth, no one should be hurt due to your words} ; as to self- yes, the right
path will at times lead to damage to self... that is true. That is why it is
called a Tapashcharya…
REFERENCES
Not all of these are directly related to Karm, but it
is these that have helped me realise the above, taken as a whole:
1)
Shrimad Bhagwad
Geeta, Geeta Press
2)
Shrimad Bhagwad
Geeta – Swami Mukundanand
3)
Chhandogyopanishad,
Geeta Press
4)
Subobh Upanishad
Sangrah Bhaag 1
5)
Ishadi Nau
Upanishad, Geeta Press
6)
Mahanarayan Upanishad,
Ramkrishna Math
7)
Yadnyavalkya-Maitreyi
Sanvaad, Bruhadaaranyak Upanishad, Ramkrishna Math
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